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How to Say ‘They're a bit small.’ in French

Ils sont un peu petits.

eel sohn uhn puh puh-TEE

[eel sohn uhn puh puh-TEE]

💬 Usage Tip: Un peu "a bit" softens a criticism. Put it before any describing word: un peu grands "a bit big".

Phrase Breakdown

Ils sont

eel sohn

They are

Pronounced 'eel SOHN'. The 's' of 'ils' is silent before a consonant. 'Sont' has a nasal 'on' sound.

Example

Ils sont contents.

They are happy.

Words in this phrase

Ils

[eel]

They (masculine/mixed)

Subject pronoun for “they” when referring to a group of males or a mixed group; used with verbs like “ils sont”.

Example

Ils regardent des animes d’aventure tous les week-ends.

They watch adventure anime every weekend.

sont

[sohn]

are

"Sont" is the plural form of "être," meaning "are."

Example

Les relations sont parfois un bon indicateur de la culture d'entreprise.

Relationships are sometimes a good indicator of company culture.

un peu petits.

uhn puh puh-TEE

a bit small.

Pronounced 'uhn puh puh-TEE'. 'Un peu' means 'a little'. The 'ts' at the end of 'petits' is silent.

Example

Les chaussures sont un peu petites.

The shoes are a bit small.

Words in this phrase

[uhn]

a / an

Masculine singular indefinite article.

Example

Un supplément peut être ajouté la nuit.

A surcharge can be added at night.

peu

[puh]

little; a bit

Used with 'un' to express a small degree.

Example

Je me sens un peu triste aujourd'hui.

I feel a little sad today.

petits

[puh-TEE]

small

Masculine plural of 'petit', describing small size.

Example

Les cercles sont petits.

The circles are small.

Guides for French learners

Ordering in French: Cafés, Bakeries and Restaurants (with Menu Vocabulary)How to order in French at a café, a bakery and a restaurant: the phrases, the questions staff ask, and the menu and food vocabulary to understand the answers.Hello in French: Greetings, Good Evening and How to Answer "How Are You?"How to say hello in French, when to switch to good evening, how to ask how are you and what to answer, with tu vs vous and native audio.

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